Molecular identification of Opisthorchis viverrini among the northeastern Cambodian population by internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2)- based polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

Abstract The southeast Asian fluke Opisthorchis viverrini remains endemic, particularly in Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Myanmar. However, there is a lack of data on the prevalence of liver fluke infection in Kratie Province in northeastern Cambodia. The present study aimed to detect O. viverrini DNA in fecal specimens using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based on the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region of ribosomal DNA (rDNA). The prevalence and percentage of O. viverrini infection were described by data analysis. The associated prevalence of O. viverrini infection was examined by bivariate binary logistic regression analyses. The total number of fecal specimens (n = 377) used for identifying food-borne trematodes was 6.89% of O. viverrini DNA-positive cases. Moreover, most O. viverrini infections were found in males (3.71%), those < 20 years (3.44%), those at primary school level (2.91%), farmers (3.18%), and the Trapaing Srae village (4.24%) in Snuol district, Kratie Province. O. viverrini infection was associated with age < 20 years (ORcru=0.569, 95% CI = 0.388–0.836, p = 0.004, ORadj=0.604, 95% CI = 0.412–0.885, p = 0.010). This study demonstrates that O. viverrini infection is distributed in rural areas located near freshwater reservoirs. Therefore, active surveillance, clinical examination of related hepatobiliary and cholangiocarcinoma, and health education are needed.